If I Remember
by Saraphinethemysterious
Summary: Elena can't stand not knowing her own past. It's eating her from the inside out. In a drastic attempt to remember her relationship she had with Damon, she goes to the edge of Mystic Falls and crosses the border very aware that she could die. Set around mid season 6 where Elena crosses the town border but not the way it happened in the show. One-Shot fluff with harmless plot.


**I wrote this a while back and it's really simple. I know you sharks like your fluff with a bit of harmless plot so enjoy this. Disclaimer- I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters.**

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Elena couldn't take it anymore. Damon had been back for a month and not only was he still trying to get Elena to remember-no. Everyone else was too. Everywhere Elena went people said to her, "Did you change your mind?" "Are you going to give Damon a chance?" "You two were perfect for each other once." "He loves you Elena."

It just made her want to scream.

Alaric was human again so she couldn't get her memories back from him. But she could actually _try_ to remember. She hadn't done that yet. Elena could _try_ to be around Damon and understand why she'd loved him once. Everyone kept telling her that if she spent enough time around Damon and opened up a bit her memories may come back on her own.

It was hard to believe there was good in a person she'd only seen bad in. Elena honestly couldn't see past all of Damon's wrongdoings.

Still, part of her wanted to know why she liked Damon once. Why did she once love him? What about him made her feel that way?

Elena was missing a giant chunk of her memory and it was slowly driving her insane. She _needed_ to know. She needed to remember.

That's the train of thought that caused her end up at the town border of Mystic Falls. Elena tried not to think much on the possibility of her immediate death. She'd managed to convince herself that that wasn't likely to happen. She'd just go over long enough for her memory to come back and then cross the border again.

Elena breathed in a deep breath and took the first step.

Only then did she remember how much she hated drowning.

Not a second after she crossed the town border she was drowning again. Water flowed out of her mouth in an uneven stream and she doubted she would last even a minute. Still, she didn't go back. She was getting flashes of her lost memory.

She remembered crashing their car into the bar and looking for Damon on the other side before going back. Elena just needed to remember a little bit more.

Her legs couldn't hold her weight anymore. Elena fell to the ground and coughed up more water. She curled defensively on the ground, still remembering. She was getting more and more memories back with every passing second.

There were flashes of love confessions and kisses. All she needed to remember was the moment that she fell in love with him. From there she was sure it was all just flow back.

Then it was too much. Her lungs started to burn and Elena knew she was too close to death. She tried to lift herself enough to crawl back across the border but she couldn't. Her body was heavy like- like she was underwater.

Still coughing water out of her mouth and lungs burning like a fire. In a moment of weakness, Elena accepted the possibility that she was going to die. And she was okay with it too.

In that weak and broken state she was sure that she could find peace in death. Then maybe she could find Aunt Jenna or her mom and dad. She could be with Bonnie and everyone else she's lost. She's lost so many people. Dying wouldn't be so bad. Would it?

Through the pain and remembering she didn't realize someone pulling her back across the border until the gushing of water from her mouth stopped.

Elena rolled over onto her stomach and then managed to make her way to a kneeling position. From there she coughed out all of the water and blood left in her airway.

Only after she was done did she finally start to process what had happened. Her vision became less and less blurry with each passing moment. She was still regaining her composure when a voice started to reprimand her.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?"

Elena was breathing heavily as she fell onto her back on the concrete street. She didn't answer because she was too busy relishing every breath of air that she took. Her eyes were closed as she cherished the feeling of not dying.

"Where you trying to get yourself killed?" The voice yelled again.

Elena knew it was Damon. Everything about the situation screamed Damon.

In response all Elena muttered was a small strangled, "No."

"NO?" Damon was more outraged with each question. "What were you trying to do then?"

At this Elena opened her eyes. She was still kind of groggy but most of the effects had worn off. She warily got on her feet and balanced herself.

She looked around. Now they were a good 20 feet from the Mystic Falls border. Damon must've just been over cautious. He had no reason to take them back that far.

Elena frowned. She didn't remember. She didn't remember when she fell in love with Damon. It'd all been for nothing. She'd almost _died_ for nothing.

Then she flinched. It made her cringe to think that only a few seconds ago she was accepting of her death. How could she have done that? Elena had fought so hard to stay alive for the people she loved, but not long ago she was willing to throw that away.

She looked up from the ground to see that Damon was staring at her. He had a blood stain on his white shirt from him crossing the border. Elena didn't worry much. It was surely healed by now. His eyes were full of sympathy, confusion, and a hint of anger. "What were you trying to do Elena?" He asked softer this time.

The way he said his name was mystical. He spoke her name as though it were a history. _Their history_. He spoke her name in a loving tone that Elena couldn't identify back with.

"It doesn't matter now." A small tear fell down Elena's cheek.

She'd failed.

Damon saw that Elena was crying and stepped toward her. He lifted his hand slowly to her face. Elena closed her eyes. She felt his skin touch hers as his hand wiped away the single tear that resided on her cheek.

Then her legs gave out as a large wave of memories rushed through her.

Damon didn't let her fall. He caught and held her limp in his arms. "Elena," he tried to wake her. "Elena!"

When her eyes opened she only saw him. "Damon?"

"Yeah it's me. You fainted." His hold on her gradually went away as she balanced herself out more and more on her own feet.

"I know-I" Elena had a pounding headache but past the pain she remembered _everything_. Crossing the border must've worked but it only activated when Damon touched her. "I remember."

Damon's eyes widened in disbelief, "What?"

"I remember Damon." If Elena was sure of one thing it was that. "I remember falling in love with you. I remember all the times I kissed you. I remember everything!"

Damon was dumbfounded. For a few seconds he stuttered on some words, not knowing exactly what he wanted to say. When he did speak it was only one word. "And?"

He was wondering what would happen next. Elena remembered, but he wondered if she felt it too. How did she feel?

She smiled and took his face in her hands as she kissed him. Damon relaxed as he kissed Elena like he'd wanted to do for so long since he came back.

Elena only broke away for a moment to say, "And I love you." Then they were kissing again.

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 **A/N- Honestly I just hope you liked it. If you did, leave me a comment. It can say what you liked about it or just- "Aw sweet." I just like feedback. -Saraphine**


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